Yarra's Adventure Notes-Chapter 1434 - 220 We Are the Variables

Yes, the final question — and the most significant one. The inevitability of the Undead existing meant that without the support of Deity power, they would not perish but could continue to exist as they do now. According to Lady Nellie’s previous arrangements, as long as the young girls cooperated with Pannis, and given Pannis’s prestige among the high ranks of various races and the importance placed on the girls’ team by various forces, it wasn’t particularly difficult to gradually make the Undead accepted by the living and slowly establish a normal order of circulation between the two worlds. Therefore, the only critical issue that remained was to prevent the plan that had been arranged from being sabotaged by Danacus, who had reconquered the Divine Body. Everyone knew there was only one way to solve this problem — the worst way. Everyone knew what it was, including Lady Nellie in the Divine Kingdom and Pannis outside the Divine Kingdom’s gates — to rush into the Door of Mist and kill Danacus, who had occupied Nellie’s body. This was the only and most effective method to completely resolve the issue.

Finche and Luscia were well aware that Pannis knew of this method. They certainly knew that since Kyle had come here, he had come for this matter. Nellie had once said she wasn’t afraid of unexpected occurrences in her plan, for when such incidents occurred, Kyle would definitely appear by her side immediately to handle all the troubles she couldn’t resolve. Now, it seemed that Nellie’s understanding of Kyle was unmatched by others; Kyle indeed had appeared, and he certainly hadn’t needed to ask whether he had come to deal with the troubles outside of the plan. However, at this moment, looking at the silently standing Pannis, the two Undead who had accompanied Nellie for many years and knew most of her plans felt, for the first time, that Nellie was somewhat cruel. Indeed, having one’s most beloved and who loved her the most come to her side, with the purpose being to fulfill her own wish to kill her by his own hands, cutting off the last hope of life for his lover — and all of these needing her lover to actively make the decision and take all responsibilities — could there be anything more cruel in the world? It was hard for the two Undead to imagine what Kyle, who had left the prayer hall and was now standing in front of the Door of Between the rituals, touching its door without speaking a word, was thinking at this moment. Was he reminiscing the beautiful times spent together in the past? Was he cursing the cruel and merciless fate? Or was he resentfully hating Nellie’s stubbornness and cruelty? From Kyle’s back, the two could discern nothing; they could only perceive the current Kyle, outwardly filled with calmness, calm like a pool of stagnant water without a single ripple.

The girls dared not imagine what was going on in Pannis’s mind at this time. Unlike Finche and Luscia, they were very clear that, although they still didn’t know the reason, Pannis had been denying himself over the years, and his heart was filled with guilt towards Nellie. Now, ironically, he had to personally kill his own lover, someone he already felt tremendously guilty about. Even if his heart had become strong again, could he really sustain this pain and pressure? Perhaps, just like he himself had said, he was indeed ready to do this — the realization of personally killing his beloved and deepening his own sin. But would he really come out again? Before, the girls had used their own lives as a bargaining chip to force him to come back alive, but now everyone understood that with the guarantees provided by Luscia, Finche, and outsiders Saen and Shiela, the bargaining chip had lost its effectiveness. What could hold on to Pannis’s heart and make him think about stepping out of Between the rituals again was just the attachments formed over the years. But, was this attachment really enough? None of the girls dared to give a definite answer.

"However, maybe the situation isn’t so dire," the girls whispered to each other in the lowest voice, looking at each other, "After all, it’s Lady Nellie inside, who trusts him most and loves him dearly. Think about it — if it were one of us, could you bear to let Pannis endure such pain, to sleep with her forever in another world? No one would have the heart to do so, so how could Lady Nellie bear it? Maybe she made some arrangements that require Pannis to come back?"

"Big sister, your thoughts are too idealistic," Lina, however, shook her head in relative pessimism, "Lady Nellie, after all, is only a mortal and not a deity. There are things she can’t manage. Like what you said, how could that be possible? Er, no, I’m wrong; she was equivalent to a deity before, so maybe..."

"Actually, I have a disturbing idea," it was evident that Freya, the most realistic with the grimmest thoughts, sighed and said, "Perhaps, in Lady Nellie’s plan, we are the biggest variable. In other words, indeed there may have been arrangements made by Lady Nellie in her plan that require Pannis to come back, but our presence might have disrupted that plan."

"Are you saying... responsibility?" Catherine’s face darkened, turning pale as she spoke, "Was it really responsibility that Lady Nellie left for Pannis and the two timelines?"

"You remember what Mr. Finche said earlier, don’t you, big sister? When he had just revived, he also had a strong inclination to destroy himself, but Lady Nellie talked with him for a long time about the future path for the Undead, asking for his help. This forced him to give up self-destruction and gradually accept reality," Freya explained. "From this, it’s evident that Lady Nellie might be quite adept at persuading others in this manner. Now it’s Pannis’s turn—if Lady Nellie entrusts him with the responsibility of coordinating the relationships between the Undead and the living, ensuring that the plan is ultimately successful, could he possibly refuse? Once he accepts this and returns to the Yarran World, do you think, with the intellect of women like Flare, Doris, and Alcmene, how many ways could they devise to make him give up on death if they can find him?"

"Countless ways." After hesitating for a long while, Catherine finally had to admit the plain truth, "Those ladies, given the opportunity, seem capable of resolving anything. That’s probably why Pannis completely hid himself over a hundred years ago—afraid of encountering them."

"So, it seems Lady Nellie had already arranged everything," Freya sighed deeply. "If we hadn’t followed him in, perhaps there would have been no problems at all. Unfortunately, we came together, offering another way to solve issues, and disrupted her plan."

"I suddenly regret it a bit," Catherine said bitterly. "This is the first time I’ve regretted my choices to this extent."

"That’s because you all think too much," Pannis suddenly interjected, startling the girls. "I’m fine, really fine."